A nighttime tour of Gyeongbokgung, September 2023 (CHA)

Online reservations for the biannual nighttime tours of Gyeongbokgung will open on April 30 at 10 a.m.

This special opportunity to take a moonlight stroll around Seoul’s main Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace will be available from May 8 to June 2, except for Mondays and Tuesdays.

Tours will take place between 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

While the tours will not include guides, the palace’s gates, halls, pavilions and garden will be open to visitors.

One person can buy up to four tickets at tickets.interpark.com.

Walk-in reservations are permitted for foreign nationals, who need to show their passports at the Gwanghwamun entrance to the palace. Up to two tickets can be purchased at the booth from May 8 to June 2.

Free admission is offered to seniors aged 65 and above, to infants and children under 6 years old, and to those donning a hanbok, a traditional Korean garment.

On Saturday, the Cultural Heritage Administration will launch its signature biannual festival at the royal palaces in Seoul.

The 9-day event will feature royal music and dance performances as well as tours with royal cuisine tastings at Seoul’s five Joseon-era palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung.

To raise awareness of Seoul’s historic sites, the agency has prepared foreign national-exclusive programs to mark the festival’s 10th anniversary.

One such program is the Royal Music Concert, scheduled for May 4-5 at Gyeongbokgung. Reservations can be made at creatrip.com.

Foreign nationals can also enjoy the Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour on April 27-28 and May 2-3.

The Seokjo Hall Night Tour is another program that runs from May 1-3 exclusively for foreign nationals. Locals can participate in the program from April 26 to May 25. Seokjo Hall at Deoksugung is the first Western-style stone building in Seoul and was built in 1910.

The musical, “King Sejong 1446,” an ode to the Joseon king who created the Korean writing system, will take place at Gyeongbokgung from April 28-30. All visitors can purchase tickets at ticketlink.co.kr.